System of automobile towage.



S10, EDMONDS. SYSTEM of AuToMoiLE TowAGE.

1APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4,. l9|7.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET i.

. EDMONDS. SYSTEM 0F AUTOIMQBIIE IowAGE.

APPLICATION FII.l

Patented Mar. Il, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

attent-mid trailer.

STERLING OWEN EDMONDS, OF EAGLEVILLE, TENNESSEE.

SYSTEM OF AUTOMOBILE TOWAGE.

Specification Vof Letters Patent. Patented Mai'. 11, 1919.

Application led .T une 4, 191,7. Serial o. 172,685.

the latter being in the form of Va truck, water cart or other liquidj'carrier, or any other vehicle devoid of a self-propelling means.

Heretofore trailers have been drawn by tractors especially designed to pilot the trailer and to furnish the power, but these tractors are usually of such construction or so connected to the trailer that they are not adapted'to be used separately from the According to my invention however, I have provided means whereby-.an ordinary form of pleasure motor .vehicle may be adapted to serve as a driving' ele- 'ment for a trailer, the connections being such that the motor vehicle can be easily connected up with and detached from the trailer without changing any of the inherent characteristics of the motor vehicle or disturbing the general construction of the mechanical parts thereof. v

According to my invention the motor vehicle may be attached to thetrailerin such manner that one may have movement about a horizontal axis irrespective of the other, but so that sidewise movement will be prevented. Means is also provided for utilizing the motive power of the automobile as the driving means Vfor the trailer. I have also provided V:means for maintaining the proper distance between the motor vehicle and the trailer, and I preferably utilize the distance maintaining means as a thrust element or elements between the motor vehicle and the trailer. I also utilize the driving axis of the motor vehicle for communicating motion to the driven elementof the trailer.

In the particular embodimentV of the invention which is selected for purposes of illustration, the system is shown as comprisin a vehicle to be towed having a steering aXIe with ground wheelsand a pilot vehicle carrying aprime inoven'and having at its forward end steering ground wheels, and at .its rear end an aXle driven by the prune `mover with means for connectingthe rear end of the towing vehicle to and supporting it on the steering axle Vof the towed vehicle, f Y

the latter also serving as a coupling structure. The supporting and coupling structure is here shown as constructed to unite the pilot vehicle to the supporting aXle of the towed vehicle while maintaining angular rigidity ina horizontal plane, in order that changes inthe direction of thev pilot vehicle may be readily transmittedto the steering axle of the towed vehicle or trailer.

In the drawings--` Figure 1 is a side elevational view of two vexisting vehicles, one of which is supported byand connected to the other by means of va towage connection above referred to;

Fig.- 2 is an enlarged detail view of one of the strut members which connects the vehicle together;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of one form of hanger which is used to support the pilot vehicle on the trailer; Y

Fig. 4c is a side elevational view of the rear of the pilot vehicle and the front ofthe towed vehicle, and y I Fig. 5 is a top-plan view of the invention showing its coperative relationship with v the connecting Ipartsof the towed vehicle,

Apart of which is shownin dotted lines.

Referring now to the drawings, A and `B lrepresent respectively a pilot vehicle and a towed vehicle or trailer which in the present instance are illustrated as a motor vehicle of conventional type and a dray wagon also of conventional type. In actual prac- 'tice it is found desirable to employ pneumatic tires for the front wheels of the pilot vehicle, and cushion tires for the front wheels of the trailer, the rear wheels being generally supplied with metallic tires. i

As heretofore indicated, the pilot vehicle may consist of any conventional type of motor vehicle, generally known as a pleasure Y car and adapted to carry passengers. And when it is desiredto utilize the pleasure car in connection with the trailer, the rear wheels may be removed from the rear axle and driveygears 1 may be substituted therefor. The hubsof the drive gearsl willbe of such form and construction that they will be readily interchangeable with the` rear wheels, so that when the rear wheels are re- 'moved-the gear-*s1 may substituted with.-v

out rearranging any of the other parts of the car. Thls will enable a couple or dual braking effect to be accomplished.

When the drive gears 1 are in place upon the rear axle of the pilot vehicle, the rear endof the pilot vehicle may be connected to or supported by the trail-er by means of a hanger vor suspension 2 which connects the chassis 3 to the bolster 4 of the trailer. The two vehicles are securely.connectedtogether 'by means of the struts 5 whichare'preferably connected to the front axle of the trailer by means of a strap 6 and to the rear or drive axle of the pilot vehicle by means of the spring securing sleeves or perches 7 which are -turnedat about 90 degrees from their normal positions on the axle, and yeach of which .is adapted to receive the end of a strut A5 which is connected to it with a ball and socket connection such .as 8. With the struts thus connect-ed the turn buckles may be lturned to adjust lthe vehicles at any desired length apart. The struts in addition to constituting distance rods also serve as thrust members between the pilot vehicle .and the trailer. The hangers 10 best shown in F ig's, 4 and 5 are employed for supporting the rear axle to the bolster 11 which lays across the side bars of the chassis 3. 12 represents driven gears which are provided on the'front axle of the trailer, and which are in drivingrelation with thedrive gears 1 by the sprocket chains 13. The driven gears 12 are strapped to the spokes so that the wheels will partake of any `motion imparted to said gears. Y e

i From the 'foregoingV vdescription it will be observed that the hanger 2 is hung from a i A, spring supported part of the trailer, and that 1t engages Va part of the rear of the chassis of the` conventional typeV of Vmotor Yvehicle in such manner that the pilot vehicle is .support-ed at its' normal horizontal position, so that all of the mechanism will be operating under normal conditions. 1 am aware that the ordinary type of moto-r vehicle is used for drivin-g ay trailer, but Where the rear wheels are `jacked up or lifted above the ground, the entire mechanism is tilted forward Yso that there is a forward thrust imparted to all of the working parts at all times with a corresponding detriment to the same. With the arrangement described hereinbefore the working parts will be maintained in the same relative position as they would in the event that the pilot car was performing the functions for which itwas intended. lIt will also lbe Ynoticed that the rear of the automobile is adapted to swing u'pimV the hanger or lsuspension 2 in a ver- 'tical'v plane so that there is a flexible couplingfbetween the pilot and the trailer, but

any sidewise movement of the pilot vehicle with respect to thetrailer will be prevent-ed by the struts and the sides of the hanger 2,

it being understood that the major portion of the weight of the car A is supported' by the hanger 2. Then itis 4desired to disconnect the car A from the trailer B it will only -be necessary to'release the struts 5, de-

tach the connectors 8 from the spring perches 7, swing the perches around to their normal v position, insert the springs and take olf the sprockets 1 and substitute the rear wheels. It will be observed thatthevehicle A'may be rendered readylfOr independent service in a convenient anduexpeditious manner,

and may beV as conveniently rearranged Yfor use in connection with the l. A system of automobile towage, comprising a vehicle to be towed having an axle with ground wheels; a towing vehicle carrying a prime mover and having at its fOrward end, steering ground wheels, Vand at its rear end, an axle drivenV by said prime mover, and a combined supporting:V and coupling structure connecting the rear end of the towing vehicle to, Yand supporting it trailer.

von, the steering axle of the towed vehicle,

hicle carrying a prime mover andhavmg at its forward end, steering ground wheels, and at its rear end,an axle driven by said prime mover, and a combined supporting and coupling structure connecting the rear'end of thetowing vehicle to, and `supporting it on, the steering axle vof the towed vehicle,rand driving connection'between said drivenaxle and the said ground wheels ofthe towed vehicle, said supporting and coupling struc- Y ture embodying in its construction an inverted U-shaped hanger suspended from the towed vehicle and having its ends upturned inY a manner to, support the Vchassis of the towing vehicle. Y -V p Y A system of'automobile towage for existing vehicles, comprising a vehicle tobe towed having a steering axle with ground wheels; aftowing vehicle carrying a prime Vmover and having at its forward end, steering ground wheels, andat its rear end, anV axle ydriven by said prime mover, anda combined supporting and; coupling structure connecting the rear end of the towing vehicle to, and supporting it on,the steering axle of the towedvehicle, and driving connectlon betweensaid driven axle and the said ground wheels of the towed vehiclesaid supporting and coupling structure embodying in its construction an inverted Ujshaped hanger suspended from the towed vehicle and having its ends upturned in a mann-er to support the chassis of the towing vehicle and struts connecting the driven axle of the towing vehicle with the steering axle ofthe towed vehicle.

The foregoing specification signedV at 10 Nashville, Tenn., this 28th day of April, 191

STERLING OWEN EDMONDS.

Copies of vthis batent may be obtained for iive cents eachl by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. G. 

